Tracker mechanism for automatic music-playing mechanisms.



y PATENTED MAY 29, 1906. P. o. WHHB @L G. W. HAYWOOD.

TRACKER MECHANISM POR AUTOMATIC MUSIC PLAYING MBCHANISMS.

APPLICATION FILED 0GT.4.1905.`

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, No. 322,033.v y QPATENTED MAY 29, 1906.

. F. C. WHITE dlr/G. W. HAYWCOD. Y TRACKER MECHANISM POR AUTOMATIC MUSIC PLAYING MECHANISMS.

APPLICATION FILED OCTA. 1905.

` 2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

l f narran sfra'rns iraniani 'ernten j 'I FRANK C. WHTTE AND GEORGE W. HAYWOQD, OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOBS TO VILCOX 8c VHITE CO., OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, A

CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

TRACKER MECHANIYSM FOR AUTOMATIC MUSlC-PLAYING MECHANISMS.

'Specicaton or" Letters Patent.

Patented May 29,1906.

Application filed October 4:, 1905. Serial No. 281,21i9.

To @ZZ whom it may concern: f I

Be it known that we, FRANK C-'VVH1T E and GEORGE W. HAYWOOD, citizens of the United States, residing at Meriden, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Tracker Mechanism for Automatic Music-Playinglnstruments, of which the following is a specification, reference being made therein to the accompanying drawings.

The object of our present invention is to provide a construction for dual-scale trackers that shall be simple, economical, and practical for manufacture, efficient and desii-able for use, and convenient/for adjustment and care bythe operator.

Ou-r invention consists in a tracker mechanism embodying the peculiar features and novel construction of parts, and combination of parts illustrated in the drawings and explained in the following detailed description, the particular subject-matter claimed being definitely set forth in the summary.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a front elevationof certain parts of mechanism embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of our improved tracker and the music take-up roll. Fig. 3 is a view of the tracker-bar separately and in position vvto show tlie dual series of mouth-orifices. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective t'o show the relation of the tracker-bar and front guardpanel. Fig. 5 represents a transverse vertical section through the tracker mechanism, the music-sheet, and a set of action pneumatics controlled thereby. Fig. 6 is an end view of the tracker and a retaining ydevice therefor. Fig. 7 is an edgewise view of a metal. disk and bearing for the end of the tracker-body. Fig. 8 represents a transverse section of the tracker mechanism, showing the make-up of the tracker-body and a modification in the arrangement of the duct-stopping devices. Fig. 9 represents a fragmentary perspective view showing the detail of the shoe or pad for stopping the tracker-duct mouth-orifices, and Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a portion of one of the interior members of the tracker-body,

` Qur improved tracker mechanism is applicable for use 1n various styles of automatic employed in combination piano-players, automatic combination pi-v anos, self-playing organs, and similar autopneumatic music-playing instruments in which a perforated music-sheet is employed for governingtlie'action of pneumaticallyoperated mechanisms. Such instruments being in their general structure well known,

the present description will be understood by simple reference to such parts thereof as have intimate relation to the invention shown in the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the part marked A represents a portion of the frame or instrument-casing, B the spool-housin "members, C the music take-up roll, D D t e bearings for the music spool or'roll E, the position of of whicliis indicated by dot-and--dash lines on Fig. 2, and M the perforated music-sheet,

all of which maybe of any well-known or" suitable construction andres heretofore employed in autopneumatic music-playing instruments of l varirnis kinds, and any wellknownmeans may be arranged for operating the take-up 'and rewinding mechanism, as will be readily understoodlbypersons conversant withtlie art.'

On Fig. 5,. matic of any action,` whicli-may be governed through the tracker-c enduitv or iiush-pipe f and operates theyal've' Gofia second pneu- F indicates primary pneu-' matic H, that in turn works the valvesl of a' powervoractionl-playing pneumatic K in well-known manner, all' being operated by exhaust orvacunm pressurein the Windchamber W. f This set cf'pneuinati'cs `is not action. i

The reference-numeral Q5` indicate our im. proved tracker, which consists ofacyiinduets 2 ,and '3, the muh-ocessofwhch are respectivel disposed (see FigsQZand 5) lin longitudine rows 22 and' at somedistance apart, preferably at quarterly/'positions on theperiphery, more or less, and formed on di eren't scales-a-s, for, instance,

, one row 22y on a scale of six to the inch,` the other rowj .on ya scale of, say, (iight to the .initseif a art of oury resent inyention, vbut drical body having therethrougliltwo series of i IOO inch or to correspond with the scalis on which iodorn perle/rated music is usually made.

This tracker is provided at its ends with concentric axles e or bearing centers, which are best Vformed in or upon a metal disk 7 that is rigidly attached to the trackenbody by screws or in other ellicient manner.l .y means of its axles 6 the tracker 5 is supported in bearings 9 on the side iframes il in a manner to render the cylindrical body partially rotatable on its central axis lor bringing either of the rows ol tracker mouth-oriiices into position lior operating with the music-sheet M as it is drawn over the trackerl'ace from the spool E to the takesup roll C.

The trackcrbody is best bu ilt up ol a n umber olt sections or longitudinal members iirmly glued together and having the forms preferable, as shown incross-section in Fig. S, which shows the cylindrical body composed. of two interior channeled members c c, two oppositely-arranged mouth members Ii, each having the rows ol orifices 2 and therethrough, a central 'tf-shaped member m, disposed between the opposite interior members, two outside members n, and a scgmentshaped bottom member o, the whole united and together forming a complete externally cylindrical body. The interior n'icinbers cr.y c are each transversely groove-d in alternate order o'ii their opposite sides, as shown at l() and 1l in Fig. l0, to form the air-ducts. The bottoni member o is bored through and provided with pipe-attaching means to correspond with the respective channels in the members a af. vWhile showing this peculiar method ot building up the tracker-body, we do not confine our invention to this partieular construction, inasmuch as acylindrical tracker having a plurality ot rows ol ducts may be made in any eilicicnt manner without departing from the nature ol" our invenlion.

.\.t the lower part ol' the tracker-cylinder the ducts have connected therewith a, series ol' llexible pipes 12 and i3, which are in turn united with the pipes or conduitsf, that lead into the respra'fvtive primary pneumatics il, as best shown in Fig. i

and 16 indicate stopping-shoes or padbars, that extend longitudinally along the opposite sides ol` the tia :kei'-cylinder and are of suitable width tor covering and closing'the row oi mouth-orifices. Said shoes are mounted on supports, as spring-standard 17, that yieldingly press them against the cylinder-surface.

The shoe may be formed et' a metal strip or bar T, curved to lit the face ol` the cylindrical tracker-body and having a covering ol leather or other similar material i9, as indicated in lig. S. T he spring-standards are attached to the lbar at their upper ends and have their lower ends suitably secured, as at 2U, to the iframe A or other equivalent support.

indicates a panel or lacing-piece arranged across the space in 'liront of the pipes 12 as a linish or shield to hide the pipes. The lower edge ol said panel is best supported or hinged at '.16 upon the trame or casing-board and extends upward with its upper edge 24- curved backward to stand adjacent to the suri'ace oi the tracker-cydinder 5 at a 'position below the line ot' the music-sheet. A similar guard may be arranged at the rear ot the 'tracker when desired, as per dotted line 2S, Fig. 5,

Combined with the tracker-cylinder we provide means lor retaining it at adjusted position with either the iront row oi' orilices 2- or the rear row ol orifices 3 exposed at working position. As shown in Fig. 6, such means may consist of suitable lugs or notches 31) and 31,1?ormed upon thc head or end disk 7 ot the tracker-bod Y, and a spring or latch 32, provided with a etent 35 or means for enadjustment. l/Vhen the spring 32 is depressed, the cylindrical 'tracker 5 can be parthe other. in the operation when the rear row ot orifices 3 is brought to working position the Yliront row of orifices 2 is brought into line with and closed by the forward shoe 15. (See Fig. 5.) Then when the vlront orifices 2 are adjusted at working position the rear orivfrees 3 are brought in line with and closed by the rear shoe 16. (Seellig. 8.) Thus the tracker may be employed with music-sheets perforated in accordance with either scale.

In Fig. 8 we have illustrated the construction made with the mouth-stopping shoes the shield piece or panel. In this the opposite panels 25" and 26C are flexibly attached at 26" to allord swinging action, and at their inwardly-rounded top edges are furnished 'with attached closure-pads or leather iacings 15" and lo to lit the tracker-surface, l'ront and rear, The two opposite panels are connected to each other at convenient position by a contractile spring 27, which keeps their top edges normally pressed toward the cylluder-surface. Suitable means, as asc-row and thumb-nut 2.3, may be employed for regulating thetension o'f the springit desired.

Obviously some changes in the l'orm ol embodiment ot' this invention may be made b v those skilled in the art without departure from the nature and scope thereof' as expressed in the claims.

Therefore, without limiting our invention lo the special details and arrangen'ient herein shown or enumerating equivalents, we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A tracker consisting of a cylindrical body gaging therewith at the desired positions oi"- tially rotated lor changing from one scale to lorined upon. or affixed to the upper edge ofl ICO :fices formed on different scales, in

rotatably supported. on its central axis, and having a plurality of rows of ducts with oricombination withhflexible tracker-duct pipes attached to the r pective ducts, and means for con- ,trollngyty duct-orifices.

, 2. yIn an autopneumatic music-playing instrument, a tracker consisting of a cylindrical tracker bar or body having two separate rows of tracker-ducts with their mouth-oriiices spaced on dierent scales, central axissupports on which said cylindrical body is partially rotatable,'a pair of opposite longitudinal mouth-stoppin shoes tting the cylindrical surface of sai body., and yieldable members that su port and press said shoes against the cylin ical surface.

3. In a pneumatic music-playing instrument a tracker-bar having a cylindrical surface, a supporting-axis concentric therewith, and a plurality of series of air-ducts with their mouth-orifices ranged in separated longitudinal rows on said cylindrical surface; in combination with stationarymouth-stopping devices oppositely fitting against said cylindrical surface and positioned at iront and rear of said tracker in alinement with the respective rows of mouth-orifices when the latter are at non-operative position.

4. In a mechanical music-playing instrument, in combination with a` perforated music-sheet and a system of primary and action-playing pneumatics, a cylindrical tracker-bar provided with a plurality of, longitudina'l rows of pneumatic ducts located at differentradial positions, and having the orifices of the respective rows spaced on different scales; a series of flexible pipes connecting the `other ends of said ducts from the cylindrical bar to the conduits ofthe primary pneumatic system, and means for stopping the tracker -mouth-orifices when rotated from playing position.

5. The combination, with the cylindrical rotatabletracker, of a yieldable presser pad or shoe composed of a metal strip having a face cover-in of leather, matching against the surface of t e cylinder, and yieldable suprporting devices for pressing said shoe toward the tracker-surface. y p

6. The combination, with the rotatable cylindrical `tracker-bar and its pneumatic I connecting-pipes; of a guard-panel sipported on the frame to shield said pi es, an having its upper edge turned inwar and iitting ad- ]acent to the surface of the tracker-cylinder.

7'. A rotatable cylindrical tracker provided I i with metal end disks having axles or axisbearings thereon.l

8. ln an autopneumatic music-playing instrument, a rotatable tracker comprising a cylindrical body provided with two rows of mouth-orifices and tracker-ductsin combination with metal end supporting-disks having central axles or bearing devices, and provided at its periphery with stop notches or lugs, and means for engagement therewith, for the purpose set forth.

9. In combination with a perforated music note-sheet, a cylindrical tracker-bar cornprising a body portion having a plurality of rows of tracker-ducts with their mouth-oriiices formed on diiierent scales, axially-arranged end bearings for centering and supporting said tracker-bar for partial rotative action, engaging notches or lugs, and a resilient catch device positioned to retain said cylinder with either row of orilices at apredetermined position for coacting with the note-sheet.

1.0. In a mechanical musical instrument, a cylindrical tracker-bar having its body composed of united section members, and comprising two internal channeled section memers, a central tl-shaped. member, two mouth-- section members having tr :roker-orifices therein, opposite side covering members, a bottom member rovided with openings or pipe-connecting ucts therethrough, and end disks provided-with axles or bearing centers, for the purpose set forth.

11. In an autopncumatic music-playing in` strument, in combination, a rotatable cylindrical tracker having two longitudinal rows of 'ducts with mouth-orifices formed on different scales, and provided at its ends with axis-supports, the pneumatic pipes connected with the tracker-ducts, two hinged guard-shields for the pipe-inclosing space, having their upper edges oppositely disposed adjacent to the cylindrical surface, means for stop ing each row of the tracker-orifices at its i le osition, and suitable spring devices for yieldiingly ressing said stopping means toward the cylindrical tracker.

Witness our liands this 2d day of October, 1905.

` FRANK C. "WHTE GEO. W. HAYW'OOD.

Witnesses:

L. A. KUHULE, A. G. KTTHULE.

roo 

